Capping machine

ABSTRACT

THE DISCLOSURE RELATES TO A CAPPING MACHINE FOR APPLYING SCREW CAPS TO CONTAINERS. A PRINCIPAL FEATURE OF THE CAPPING MACHINE IS THE ADAPTABILITY THEREOF TO A CONVENTIONAL CONVEYOR SYSTEM WHEREIN THE GUIDE PORTION OF THE CONVEYOR SYSTEM IS UTILIZED TO HOLD THE CONTAINER AGAINST ROTATION WHILE THE CAPPING MACHINE APPLIES A CAP THERETO THE CAPPING MACHINE IS MOUNTED INDEPENDENTLY OF THE CONVEYOR AND IS ADJUSTABLE SO AS TO ALIGN THE SAME WITH THE CONVEYOR AND PROPERLY VERTICALLY POSITION THE SAME IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CONTAINER NECK. THE CAPPING MACHINE INCLUDES A CAPPING MECHANISM HAVING A PLURALITY OF CAP ROTATION MEMBERS WHICH ARE INDIVIDUALLY ADJUSTABLE FOR THE PURPOSE OF BOTH ACCOMMODATING CAPS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS AND VARYING THE PRESSURE ENGAGEMENT OF THE CAP ROTATING MEMBERS WITH CAPS.

C. O. BARNES Nov. 30, 1971 CAPPING MACHINE 2 Sh0etsSho0t 1 Filed May 16,1969 DHCHDRGE FILLED 8 EQPPED DTTLES CAPPER ENTER BDTTLES FILLERINVENTOR EHQRLES U. BARNES United States Patent 3,623,292 CAPPINGMACHINE Charles 0. Barnes, Silver Spring, Md assignor to The Eastern Capand Closure Company, Baltimore, Md. Filed May 16, 1969, Ser. No. 825,304Int. Cl. B65!) 7/28 U.S. Cl. 53331.5 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis disclosure relates to a capping machine for applying screw caps tocontainers. A principal feature of the capping machine is theadaptability thereof to a conventional conveyor system wherein the guideportion of the conveyor system is utilized to hold the container againstrotation while the capping machine applies a cap thereto. The cappingmachine is mounted independently of the conveyor and is adjustable so asto align the same with the conveyor and properly vertically position thesame in alignment with the container neck. The capping machine includesa capping mechanism having a plurality of cap rotating members which areindividually adjustable for the purpose of both accommodating caps ofdifferent diameters and varying the pressure engagement of the caprotating members with caps.

This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements incapping machines, and more particularly to a capping machine forapplying screw caps to con- I tainers.

A primary feature of this invention is to provide a capping machinewhich may be readily mounted with respect to an existing conveyor forconveying filled containers wherein the conveyor includes a guide whichis cooperable with a filled container to prevent rotation thereof, thecapping machine being readily mountable adjacent the existing conveyorand having a capping mechanism overlying the path of movement ofcontainers for applying screw caps to the containers While they arebeing conveyed by the conveyor and held against rotation by theassociated guide means.

A principal feature of the capping machine is the mounting thereof whichincludes an upright having a vertically adjustable coupling at the upperend thereof with the capping mechanism being carried by one half of thecoupling, and there being means provided for con necting the upperportion of the upright to an existing conveyor so as to transverselyposition the capping mechanism in overlying relation to the conveyor.

Still another feature of this invention is the provision of a novelcapping mechanism which is adapted to overlie a path of movement ofcontainers and to apply screw caps to the containers, which containersare fixed against rotation while moving along the predetermined path.The capping mechanism includes a plurality of cap rotating units, eachof which includes a pair of opposed cap rotating members disposed inspaced relation on opposite sides of the path of movement of a containercap for engaging the same and rotating the cap to screw it onto acontainer. The individual cap rotating members are transverselyadjustable so as to accommodate various size caps and at the same timeso as to adjust the pressure engagement of the cap rotating members withcaps.

A further feature of this invention is the provision of a simple drivefor the cap rotating members whereby the cap rotating members at eachside of a path of cap travel may all be simultaneously driven from asingle drive unit and still permit individual transverse adjustment ofthe cap rotating members, all of the cap rotating members being drivenby an endless drive member having associated therewith a slack take upmechanism so as to compensate for variations in positions of caprotating members.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a container filling and cappingmechanism employing the capping machine of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the capping machine with the top wallof the housing of the capping mechanism being partially broken away toshow the specific internal details of the capping mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken alongthe line 33 of FIG. 2 and shows specifically the relationship of thecapping mechanism to containers being capped.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken alongthe line 44 of FIG. 3 and shows further the specific details of thecapping mechanism as well as the specific details of the support for thecapping mech anism.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated in FIG. 1 the over-all arrangement of a container fillingand capping mechanism, which mechanism is generally identified by thenumeral 10. The mechanism 10 includes a combined guiding and conveyingassembly which is generally identified by the numeral 11 for movingcontainers along a predetermined path. The combined guiding andconveying assembly 11 is particularly adapted to handle containers whichare rectangular or square in cross section, such as the containers 12.

The containers 12 are delivered by the mechanism 11 into a conventionaltype of filler, which is identified by the numeral 13, wherein thecontainers 12 are automatically filled. After the containers 12 arefilled, it is desired that the containers be immediately capped.Accordingly, they first pass beneath the feed chute 14 of theconventional cap orienting and feeding mechanism which is generallyidentified by the numeral 15. As a cap, which is identified by thenumeral 16, is seated on a container 12, the container 12 passes beneaththe capping machine, which capping machine is the subject of thisinvention and is generally identified by the numeral 17. The cappingmachine 17 automatically presses the cap 16 down on the container androtates the cap to screw the cap to a container closing position.

Referring now to FIG. 4 in particular, it will be seen that the combinedguiding and conveying mechanism 11 includes a lower conveyor mechanism18 and an upper guide unit 20. The conveyor mechanism 18 may be of anyconstruction although at a minimum, it requires an endless conveyor belt21 which passes around a pair of supporting rollers 22 at the opopsiteends of its travel. In addition, in the vicinity of the capping machine17, the upper run of the conveyor belt 21 must be supported by asuitable support member which is identified by the numeral 23. Theillustrated support member is of an inverted channel configuration anddesirably may extend the full length of the conveyor assembly 18.

The guide unit 20 is preferably of an extremely simple form and mayconsist of rods 24 which are preferably arranged in pairs on oppositesides of the intended path of movement of the containers 12. The pairsof rods 24 are transversely spaced a distance substantially equal to thewidth of the container 12 and since the container 12 is rectangular incross section, as is clearly shown in FIG. 1, the guide rods 24 restrictthe rotation of the container 12 to a very small angle during theapplication of a cap 16 thereto.

At this time it is pointed out that the illustrated container 12 is inthe form of a milk bottle or other liquid container and has a reduceddiameter neck portion 25 to which the cap 16 is applied. However, theexact configuration of the container 12 is immaterial as far as thisinvention is concerned except that it must be generally rectangular inoutline so that the guide unit 20 prevents the same from rotating whenthe cap is being applied thereto and at the same time the conveyorassembly 18 can freely move the container along the predetermined pathduring the application of the cap 16 thereto. EX- ceptions to theforegoing are round containers having enough weight to withstand thetorque required to tighten the cap. For example, one gallon round glasscontainers.

At this time it is pointed out that normally the filler 13 and thecombined guiding and conveying assembly 11 are already a part of afilling line. In accordance with this invention, it is proposed toutilize the combined gui ing and conveying assembly 11 both for thepurpose of supporting a container during the capping thereof and forholding the container being capped against rotation during theapplication of the cap thereto.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 wherein the specific detailsof the capping machine 17 are shown. The capping machine 17 basicallyincludes a support, which is identified by the numeral 30, and a cappingmechanism which is identified by the numeral 31. The support 30 isintended to be fixedly mounted adjacent the existing combined guidingand conveying mechanism 11 and includes an upright 32 which has thelower end thereof mounted in any desired manner such as by means of abase 29.

At the upper end of the upright 32 there is a vertically adjustablecoupling, which is identified by the numeral 33, which coupling supportsthe capping mechanism 31 from the upright 32.

The coupling 33 includes a lower support plate 34 and an upper supportplate 35 which are rigidly secured to the upper portion of the upright32 and extend horizontally therefrom. The support plates 34 and 35 arecoupled together by a vertical support plate 36 which extends above theupper support plate 35.

A vertically adjustable support plate 37 is mounted in face-to-faceengagement with the fixed support plate 36 and is clamped thereagainstin a vertically adjusted position by a pair of clamp bolts 38 which arereleasably carried by the support plate 36 and which extend throughvertical slots 40 (FIG. 3) in the support plate 37. The upper end of thesupport plate 37 is provided with a flange 41 to which a housing 42 ofthe capping mechanism 31 is secured.

The adjustable support plate 37 is provided with a nut element 42 whichprojects towards the upright 32 through a vertical slot 43 in thesupport plate 36. The nut element 42 has threadedly engaged therein andpassing therethrough an adjusting screw 44 which is suitably carried bythe plates 34 and 35 and which ex tends materially thereabove andterminates in a gripping element 45 to facilitate the rotation thereof.When it is desired to vertically adjust the capping mechanism 31, thebolts 38 are slightly loosened and the support 37 vertically adjusted byturning the screw 44.

At this time it is pointed out that the capping mechanism 31 is retainedin transverse alignment with the combined guiding and conveyingmechanism 18 by means of adjustable connecting strap assemblies 46 whichextend betweeen the coupling 33 and the conveyor assembly 18. The strapassemblies 46 include first and second slotted straps 47 and 48 whichare adjustably connected together by a bolt 50. The strap 48, in turn,is vertically adjustably secured to the frame member 23 by means of abolt 51.

It is to be noted that the housing 42 of the capping mechanism 31 isgenerally rectangular in outline and includes a bottom wall 52, a pairof longitudinal walls 53 and 54, a pair of end walls 55 and 56 and aremovable cover 57.

The bottom wall 52 is provided with a central longitudinal opening 58therethrough through which a cap depressing belt 60 depends. The belt68, as is best shown in FIG. 2, is supported by a drive roll 61 and anidler roll 62 which are suitably supported on the bottom wall 52. Thedrive roll 61 is driven by a suitable electric motor 63 through acoupling 64 so that the rate of movement of the belt 60 is substantiallythe same as that of the conveyor belt 21 to support the upper end of acontainer 12.

The capping mechanism 31 also includes a plurality of cap rotating unitswhich are spaced longitudinally of the housing 42. Each cap rotatingunit includes two cap rotating members 66 and 67 which are disposed inopposed relation on opposite sides of the path of travel of the caps 16and lying in the general plane of the cap, as is best shown in FIG. 4.Each of the cap rotating members 66 and 67 is carried by a spindle 68which is rotatably mounted within a housing 69 and has secured to theupper end thereof a drive sprocket 70. Each housing 63 includes a slideblock 71 fixedly attached thereto and mounted Within a housing 72carried by the bottom wall 52 for transverse sliding movement. Eachslide block 71 has coupled thereto an adjusting screw 73 which isrotatably carried by the respective side wall of the housing 42 andwhich is provided with an exposed knob 74 to facilitate the rotationthereof to adjust the relative position of the associated cap rotatingmembers 66 or 67.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing that the individual caprotating members 66 and 67 may be adjusted so as to accommodate betweenopposed cap rotating members 66 and 67 various sizes of caps 16. Inaddition, the cap rotating members 66 and 67 may be transverselyadjusted so as to vary the pressure engagement thereof with a cap.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4 in particular, it will be seen that all ofthe sprockets 70 of the cap rotating members 66 are simultaneouslyrotated at the same speed through a drive chain 75 which is driven by asprocket 76. The sprocket 76 is, in turn, carried by and rotated by amotor 77 which is mounted on the side wall 53 of the housing 42. It isto be noted that the cap rotating members 66 rotate in acounterclockwise direction so as to spin a cap engaged therewith in aclockwise direction.

It is also to be noted that all of the cap rotating members 67 aresimultaneously driven by means of a chain 78 which is engaged with thedriving sprockets 70 thereof. The chain 78 is driven by means of a drivesprocket 80 carried by and driven by an electric motor 82 which ismounted on the side wall 54 of the housing 42. The chain 78 moves in adirection to rotate the cap rotating members 67 in a counterclockwisedirection so as to effect the clockwise rotation of a cap engagedthereby.

At this time it is pointed out that in order to compensate for thetransverse adjustment of the cap rotating members 66 and 67, each of thechains '75 and 78 has associated therewith a slack take up sprocket 83which is mounted on a swinging arm 84 and urged to a chain tensioningposition by means of a spring 85.

OPERATION It will be readily apparent that after a container 12 has beenfilled by means of the :filler 13, it is moved longitudinally along thecombined guiding and conveying assembly 11 to a position whereat itpasses under the exit end of the sheet 14 from the cap feeding mechanism15. A properly oriented cap 16 is automatically picked up by thecontainer 12 with the cap being spun slightly by the first set of caprotating members 66 and 67 so as to be loosely, but squarely positionedon the container 12.

As the container 12 moves to the right, as viewed in FIG. 3, it passesbeneath the cap depressing belt 60 which also serves the function ofcooperating with the conveyor 21 so as to stabilize the container 12against overturning in a longitudinal direction. With the container 12so stabilized, the cap 16 is progressively turned and tightened byengagement with the others of the cap rotating members 66, 67. It is tobe understood that the material of the cap rotating members 66, 67 maybe varied so as to provide for varied gripping engagement with the cap.Also, the spacing between transversely adjacent cap rotating members 66and 6'7 may be varied so as to produce difierent gripping eflects on thecaps 16 and thereby to provide for the exact degree of tightness of thecaps 16.

It will be readily apparent that inasmuch as the container 12 isprevented from rotating by the guide rods 24 and is prevented fromtransversely overturning by these same guide rods and since the conveyorbelt 21 and the cap depressing belt '61 cooperates to preventoverturning of the container in a longitudinal direction, the container12 is automatically firmly supported during the application of the caps16 thereto.

Although it is the primary intention of this invention to provide acapping machine which may be readily associated with an existingcombined guiding and conveying assembly, it is also to be understoodthat the combined guiding and conveying assembly 11 may be furnishedwith the capping machine.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the capping machine has beenspecifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understoodthat minor variations may be made therein without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a conveyor assembly having a moving conveyingmember for supporting and transporting containers along a predeterminedpath, and fixed guide means on opposite sides of said container path forslidable engagement by containers and for preventing rotation ofcontainers conveyed by said conveying member; a free standing cap-perremovably mounted adjacent said conveyor assembly and having cappingmechanism overlying said moving conveying member; said capping mechanismincluding cap rotating means for rotating screw-on caps on containerswhile the containers are being moved by. said conveyor assembly and heldagainst rotation thereby, an upstanding support separate and apart fromsaid conveyor assembly and means mounting said cap rotating means onsaid support for selective vertical positioning relative to said movingconveyor member and said fixed guide means; and said cap rotating meansincluding a plurality of cap rotating units for engaging andsequentially rotating a cap to screw such cap onto an associatedcontainer, each cap rotating unit including a pair of cap rotatingmembers positioned in spaced opposed relation on opposite sides ot theintended path of movement of caps, and means for rotating the caprotating members of each pair in the same direction for cooperation toturn a cap passing therebeween.

2. A capper particularly adapted for use in combination with an existingcombined container guiding and conveying mechanism of the type operableto move containers along a predetermined path While preventing rotationof the containers, said capper being of the type to apply screw-on capsand comprising a support adapted to be fixedly positioned relative to acontainer guiding and conveying mechanism and substantiallyindependently, thereof, and a capping mechanism carried by said supportfor overlying a container guiding and conveying mechanism for tighteningpreviously positioned caps on containers, said capping mechanismcomprising a cap depresser for engaging a cap and urging the cap downonto a container in a level position at all times while the cap is beingrotationally applied, and a plurality of cap rotating units for engagingand sequentially rotating a cap to screw such cap onto an associatedcontainer, each cap rotating unit including pair of cap rotating memberspositioned in spaced opposed relation on opposite sides of the intendedpath of movement of caps, and means for rotating the cap rotatingmembers of each pair in the same direction for cooperation to turn a cappassing therebetween, means for individually transversely positioningeach of said cap rotating members to vary the spacing between caprotating members of each cap rotating unit both to adjust for variationsin cap size and to adjust the pressure engagement of said cap rotatingmembers with a cap.

3. The capper of claim 2 wherein all cap rotating members disposed oneach side of the path of cap movement are simultaneously driven from asingle drive unit, said drive unit including a fixedly mounted powerunit, an endless drive member and an automatic slack take-up mechanismfor compensating for variations in the positions of said cap rotatingmembers relative to each other and to the respective power unit.

4. The capper of claim 2 wherein said capper includes a housing having abottom wall, and said means for individually transversely positioningeach of said cap rotating members includes a slide block supporting eachcap rotating member, said slide block being seated on said housingbottom wall for transverse sliding movement and a separate adjustingscrew carried by said housing for each slide block connected to therespective slide block for both adjusting the relative position of therespective cap rotating member and maintaining the adjusted positionthereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,460,312 8/1969 Stover 53317 X2,942,394 6/1960 Bjering et a1. 533l7 X 3,054,234 9/1962 Stover 53317TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner E. F. DESMOND, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R. 53315, 317

